A new system designed to
save money and improve efficiency by eliminating the need to order,
maintain and stock several years of pre-printed registration decals
will be tested this spring by the Division of Motor Vehicles in partnership
with 3M.

If the six-month trial by the DMV’s Commercial
Vehicle Services Section is successful the Embedded Decal Pilot Project
will lead all DMV or county offices to print registration decals on
demand for customers when vehicles are registered.

Blank or “embedded” decals would be incorporated
into pre-printed forms containing specific types of registration information,
including each customer’s license plate number. The embedded decals
can be used for any registration period or plate type.

Each DMV and county assessor’s office must currently
maintain a large inventory of pre-printed decals in several categories
(numbered, multi-year, month and plate type) for two or more years in
advance. Eventually the unused, outdated pre-printed decals must be
destroyed.

The new system should cut costs by lowering inventory
requirements because stock could be replenished as needed within a few
months instead of the current process which requires ordering, maintaining
and stocking decals two or more years in advance.

“For the public, this will help the motor carriers
by saving them some time and eliminating any possible confusion. For
the department, it will eliminate wasting stickers and help prevent
errors when distributing them,” said Debra Hall with Commercial
Vehicle Services.

ITD/DMV embedded decals will use white, gray and black
background variations instead of the current red, white and blue schemes
to differentiate three distinct years. The decals will all be 7/8”
high and 1 5/8” wide.

3M will manufacture the paper with the embedded decal
that will be used. The corporation currently provides the reflective
material used on all Idaho license plates.

Proposed changes to the decal program have been reviewed
by state and local law enforcement agencies. For questions on the pilot
project contact Alan Frew, Commercial Vehicles Services manager, at
ext. 8809.